Department for Transport

High Speed 2 Line: Forests

Baroness Young of Old Scone: To ask Her Majesty's Government when they expect to receive the annual report by HS2 Ltd on the scheme's impact on ancient woodland, due on 11 February, as required by the High Speed Rail (West Midlands–Crewe) Act 2021.

Baroness Young of Old Scone: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will publish the annual report by HS2 Ltd on the scheme's impact on ancient woodland as soon as it is received.

Baroness Young of Old Scone: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will lay before Parliament the annual report by HS2 Ltd on the scheme's impact on ancient woodland.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: The annual report on HS2’s impact on ancient woodland was published on 23 February 2022. This report has been placed in the Libraries of the House.

Bus Services: Finance

Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the bus industry followingthe end of emergency funding measures.

Baroness Vere of Norbiton: Following negotiations, over £150m is to be made available to local transport providers to continue supporting the sector as we build back better following the Covid-19 pandemic. The funding will support bus operators and local authorities responsible for bus and light rail services from April until October. This is alongside the £29m uplift to the Bus Recovery Grant announced earlier this year.

Department of Health and Social Care

Coronavirus: Screening

Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the introduction of updated COVID-19 test validation approval processes (CTDA), what guidance is available to testing manufacturers regarding submitting applications (1) for new tests and (2) for an updated approved product; and what is the expected timescale from application to decision for such applications.

Lord Kamall: On 21 February 2022, the Government accepted advice from the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) on offering a further dose to some individuals. The primary aim is to reduce the risk of severe disease across the population. As protection against severe COVID-19 disease declines slowly, the most vulnerable groups have been prioritised for vaccination.A dose will be offered to those over the age of 75 years old, residents in care homes for older adults and people aged 12 years and over who are immunosuppressed. The JCVI continues to consider the latest available data on the timing and value of further doses.

Care Homes: Accountability

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are takingto ensure the transparency and accountability of (1) charitable, and (2) private, care home providers in England.

Lord Kamall: We are exploring ways to allow more transparent feedback about services and offer other comparative information, including on price. Providers are accountable to the Care Quality Commission (CQC), which is the independent regulator of health and social care in England. The CQC regulate services to make sure they meet fundamental standards of safety and quality. When registering with the CQC, providers must demonstrate they meet a range of suitability criteria, including suitable premises and that they have the financial resources needed to provide and continue to provide the services as described in their application to the required standards.

Abortion: Drugs

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of ending the home use of mifepristone on (1) waiting times, (2) workforce pressures, and (3) the long-term sustainability, of abortion services.

Lord Kamall: Given current pressures on the sector, the Government has provided an extended period for services to plan for the return of face-to-face treatments. We will continue to work with NHS England and NHS Improvement, the Care Quality Commission and abortion providers to ensure a safe and reliable return to face-to-face services.We are developing a new Sexual and Reproductive Health Strategy which will set out plans to improve reproductive health outcomes and wellbeing. Whilst issues relating to abortion legislation will not be in scope of the Strategy, ensuring the sustainability of accessible and high quality abortion services for women will be a priority.

Immunosuppression: Coronavirus

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government when data on how many (1) immunocompromised, or (2) immunosuppressed, people have received a fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccine will be available.

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government who is producing the data on how many (1) immunocompromised, or (2) immunosuppressed, people have received their fourth dose of the COVID-19 vaccine; and where it will be published.

Lord Kamall: There are two immunosuppressed groups eligible for a fourth dose of COVID-19 vaccination. The severely immunosuppressed are eligible for three primary doses and a fourth dose as a booster vaccination. The immunosuppressed aged 12 years old and over are eligible for a two primary dose course, an initial booster vaccination and an additional spring booster vaccination. There is no specific provision for a fourth dose for the wider immunocompromised population other than adults aged 75 years old and over or residents in a care home for older adults.The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) publishes data for immunosuppressed people who received at least three doses. The UKHSA will publish additional data on booster doses administered in spring, which will include the immunosuppressed, although it has no current plans to report national surveillance data on fourth doses. NHS England and NHS Improvement are collecting data on the number of fourth doses administered in England. This data is currently being validated and we expect that a daily online publication will begin shortly.

Coronavirus: Screening

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to make lateral flow tests available free of charge to people (1) on low incomes, or (2) on benefits, to help address health inequalities.

Lord Kamall: From 1 April 2022, free access to lateral flow device tests for the public in England will end. Free testing will continue to be available for a small number of at-risk groups. We will set out further details on eligible groups in due course and the impact of these policies on people on low incomes or benefits and health inequalities will be kept under review.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Bradley: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that people who received their first and second COVID-19 vaccinations in (1) an EU country, or (2) Switzerland, are able to receive their COVID-19 booster vaccination by 31 December.

Lord Kamall: All eligible adults in England were offered a booster vaccination by 31 December 2021, including those who received primary doses in the European Union and Switzerland.Vaccines approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency administered overseas can be recorded via the National Booking Service or 119. Doses can be verified at a face-to-face appointment at a designated vaccination centre and updated within the National Immunisation Management Service (NIMS). If an individual’s overseas vaccination is recorded in NIMS, they will automatically be invited to receive a booster dose when eligible. Vaccinations can also be accessed at a walk-in centre without the record being updated in advance.

Coronavirus: Screening

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what asssessment they have made of the levels of the availability of lateral flow tests from 1 April either (1) through the NHS, or (2) commercially.

Lord Kamall: We are confident there will continue to be sufficient tests available through the National Health Service from 1 April 2022. We will provide further details on eligible groups in due course. The Government is engaging with retailers to support the development of a strong private market for testing to ensure that tests are widely available for the public to buy.

Coronavirus: Disease Control

Lord Roberts of Llandudno: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they had withthe governments of the devolved nationsregarding the decisions to end COVID-19 restrictions in England.

Lord Kamall: There are ongoing discussions across multiple Government departments and the devolved administrations.

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the importance of vaccinating children aged three and above against COVID-19; and what steps they have taken as a result of that assessment.

Lord Kamall: No specific assessment has been made, as there is currently no COVID-19 vaccine authorised in the United Kingdom for usage in children in this age group.Should the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency authorise a COVID-19 vaccine for use in the UK in children aged under five years old, the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation may be asked for its clinical and scientific advice on prioritisation and deployment at a population level.

Travel: Coronavirus

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many travellers who completed a passenger locator form and entered England from a non-red list country since 24 October failed to complete a day 2 lateral flow COVID-19 test; what percentage of the total number of such travellers entering England this figure represents; and what steps they have taken as a result.

Lord Kamall: This information is not held in the format requested.

Care Homes: Closures

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they havehad with providers of care homes in England on the impact of changes in models of carethat have resulted in decisions to close care homes.

Lord Kamall: The Department has engaged with over 200 stakeholders, including providers of care across every region in England. We will continue to engage with providers as social care reform plans are implemented. As part of the reforms, we are aiming to support a range of models of care that will promote personalisation to better meet individuals’ needs.Local authorities are best placed to understand and plan for the care needs of their populations and to develop and build local market capacity. Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities have a temporary duty to ensure continuity of care if a provider fails or exits the market.

Self-harm: Children

Lord Watson of Invergowrie: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many children in England (1) attended, and (2) were admitted through, Accident and Emergency departments for self-harming in each year from 2018 to 2021; and what percentage of those were looked after children.

Lord Kamall: This information is not held in the format requested. However, the following table shows the number of unplanned attendances and admissions for self-harming of children and young people through accident and emergency (A&E) departments in England in each year from 2018 to 2021. Data on looked after children is not available as this information is not recorded in hospital data. Financial yearAll unplanned A&E attendances for patients aged 0-18 years old coded as ‘deliberate self harm’Hospital admissions through emergency departments for patients aged 0-18 years old with a cause code of 'self-poisoning' or 'self-harm'2017-1821,74422,3082018-1925,13823,3272019-2025,43223,6172020-2118,42523,501 Source: Hospital Episode Statistics, NHS Digital

Coronavirus: Vaccination

Lord Cooper of Windrush: To ask Her Majesty's Government what guidance on booster COVID-19 vaccinations they are providing to UK citizens whose previous vaccinationswere administered in an EU member state, and which are not recorded on the NHS app.

Lord Kamall: Booster vaccinations remain available, including for those who received primary doses in the European Union. The minimum dosage interval for booster vaccinations is three months from a final primary dose. Doses do not have to be recorded in the NHS App in order to access vaccination.Vaccines approved by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency administered overseas can be recorded via the National Booking Service or 119. Doses can be verified at a face-to-face appointment at a designated vaccination centre and updated within the National Immunisation Management Service (NIMS). If an individual’s overseas vaccination is recorded in NIMS, they will automatically be invited to receive a booster dose when eligible. Vaccinations can also be accessed at a walk-in centre without the record being updated in advance.

Care Homes: Closures

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of care home closures in England since 2019 on the ability of the NHS to discharge elderly patients from hospital.

Lord Kamall: No formal assessment has been made. We have established a national discharge taskforce to reduce delayed discharges and ensure patients are only in hospital for as long as they need to be. In addition, we have provided £462.5 million via local authorities during the winter for care providers to increase recruitment and existing care support.

Coronavirus: Screening

Baroness Finlay of Llandaff: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessmentthey have made of the impact of the new COVID-19 test device validation approval process (CTDA) on COVID-19 multiplex tests for influenza and other diseases; and, further to clinical demand, what plans they have to change these processes to speed up approvals.

Lord Kamall: An assessment regarding the impact of the COVID-19 Test Device Validation Approval process (CTDA) on multiplex tests is ongoing. A public consultation ended on 30 September 2021 and a response will be published later this year. As the approval process safeguards consumers and has been determined by scientists, we have no current plans to amend it for multiplex tests.The Department plans to recruit more full-time scientific advisors to meet clinical demand and accelerate CTDA approvals. We anticipate the recruitment campaigns will be concluded shortly. However, the speed of the approval process is also dependent on manufacturers submitting the correct data at the application stage.

Second Sight: Insolvency

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of users of Second Sight Medical Products in the UK have been affected by the company's collapse; what assessment they have made of the risk ofother such medical device companies collapsing; and what steps they are taking to protect the consumers of such medical devices.

Lord Kamall: No estimate has been made. The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has not received any reports to indicate that Second Sight have withdrawn or failed to provide product support to existing patients. Additionally, NHS England does not routinely commission products supplied by Second Sight.No assessment of the risk of medical device companies collapsing had been made. While there is an obligation on manufacturers to confirm the safety and performance of the devices throughout their lifetime, if a company is sold, the liability for these post-market requirements is usually a matter for the contract between parties. The MHRA is considering how post-market obligations on manufacturers can be strengthened in the forthcoming amendments to the Medical Devices Regulations 2002.When contracting for the supply of medical devices, due diligence is undertaken on the financial standing of a supplier by procurement teams to gain assurance of the supplier’s ability to maintain supply in line with contractual and regulatory obligations. Patients remain in the care of prescribing clinicians who will make decisions on treatment and care in the event that supply of a product or service is disrupted. The Department monitors supply threats through engagement with suppliers and trade associations and uses intelligence to identify potential disruptions.

Care Homes: Closures

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatassessment they have made of the (1) number of care home closures in England in the past three years, and (2) the impact these closures have had on the health and wellbeing of the residents affected.

Lord Kamall: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) publishes data on locations that were previously regulated by the CQC and have since been deactivated. A location can be deactivated for several reasons and does not mean that the service has closed in every instance. For example, it may have re-registered due to changes in its legal structure or its address. The following table below shows the number of care home deactivations in England in each year from 2019 to January 2022. Year of deactivationTotal number of care home deactivations201954420204262021486202252 Note:A nursing home is a ‘care home service with nursing’ and a residential home is a ‘care home without nursing’. A care home location which has both service types is also classified as a nursing home. The figures provided represent the number of care homes that have deactivated excluding locations that have a published 'successor' organisation where the service continues, but under new registration due to a legal entity change or a change in the provider. It may take several months for a ’successor’ location to be published following a location deactivating and a new location activating. Under the Care Act 2014, local authorities also have a temporary duty to ensure continuity of care if a provider fails or exits the market. No specific assessment has been made of the impact of care home closures on the health and wellbeing of residents.

Strokes: Mechanical Thrombectomy

Lord Goodlad: To ask Her Majesty's Government what priority is being given by the NHS to the availability of mechanical thrombectomy in the treatment of stroke.

Lord Kamall: Thrombectomy is available in 24 centres in England. There are two non-neuroscience centres currently under development to improve access to thrombectomy.The National Health Service is committed increasing the delivery of mechanical thrombectomy to 10% of cases. The latest data shows that 2.1% of patients are receiving a thrombectomy following a stroke. In early 2022, the NHS will undertake a quality review in England to resolve local barriers to increasing the uptake of thrombectomy.

Schools: Dental Services

Lord Storey: To ask Her Majesty's Government how often children have dental checks in school; and what percentage of schoolchildren in England and Wales had these checks in the last academic year.

Lord Kamall: There is no national programme of routine dental checks in schools in England. The provision of dental checks in schools in Wales is a devolved matter.

Dental Services

Lord Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made of the number of different owners of dental practices in England.

Lord Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their policy regarding the ownership of dental practices.

Lord Jones: To ask Her Majesty's Government what estimate they have made, if any, of the average cost of the purchase of a dental practice.

Lord Kamall: No estimate has been made of the number of different owners of dental practices nor of the average cost of purchase of dental practices.Any person who provides regulated activity in England must be registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC). In order to obtain a registration with the CQC, a dental practice is assessed against the CQC’s registration assessment framework to assess if applicants will provide services that are safe, effective, caring, responsive to people’s needs and well-led. As part of the registration process, checks are made on Directors listed in the application and any individuals nominated by the provider company to be held legally responsible for carrying on the regulated activities applied for. If a practice cannot meet the standards set out within the framework, the CQC will refuse the application. The Dentists Act 1984 lays out restrictions on carrying on the business of dentistry.

Lord Bethell

Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government, of the messages that Lord Bethell received from or sent to Abingdon Health on WhatsApp from his private mobile telephone while serving as a Minister, how many did officials from the Department of Health and Social Care (1) see, and (2) record.

Lord Kamall: The Department has conducted a search of communication records relating to Abingdon Health and found no record of WhatsApp messages between the former Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Lord Bethell) and any employee of Abingdon Health. The Department has found no record of officials having sight of any such messages. The Department’s engagement with Abingdon was led by officials and these communications have been retained.

Lord Bethell

Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many messages Lord Bethell reported to the Department of Health and Social Care that he had received from or sent to Abingdon Health on WhatsApp from his private mobile telephone while serving as a Minister.

Lord Kamall: The Department has conducted a search of communication records relating to Abingdon Health and found no record of WhatsApp messages between the former Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Lord Bethell) and any employee of Abingdon Health. The Department has found no record of officials having sight of any such messages. The Department’s engagement with Abingdon was led by officials and these communications have been retained.

General Practitioners: Patients

Baroness Barker: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many patients in England have attended a GP practice which they are not registered at for (1) assessment, and (2) treatment, for the latest year for which data is available.

Lord Kamall: The information requested is not held centrally.

GP Connect

Baroness Barker: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many GP practices in England have used GP Connect data sharing to send patients to alternative GP practices for (1) assessment, and (2) treatment, for the latest year for which data is available.

Lord Kamall: The information requested is not held centrally.

Department for Education

Nurseries

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the impact of private for-profit groups acquiring nurseries in England on (1) the stability of the nursery sector, and (2) the quality of provision.

Baroness Barran: 65% of early years childcare places in England are provided by private, voluntary, and independent group-based providers in a market-based system. The key measure of market health monitored by the department is whether the supply of available places is sufficient to meet the requirements of parents and children. This is monitored rather than whether changes occur in the number and type of providers, which is typically a feature of a healthy, competitive market.The majority of eligible two, three, and four-year-olds have continued to access free childcare despite the challenges faced throughout the COVID-19 outbreak. Local authorities are not reporting any substantial sufficiency or place supply issues that they are unable to manage locally. The department has not seen a substantial number of parents saying that they cannot secure a childcare place, either this term or since early years environments re-opened fully on 1 June 2020.97% of early years childcare providers are rated good or outstanding by Ofsted.The department continues to evaluate the sufficiency and quality of childcare provision. It also endeavours to help local authorities, parents, and early years providers to ensure the sustainability of the sector.

T-Levels: Work Experience

Lord Johnson of Marylebone: To ask Her Majesty's Government what proportion of students undertaking T-Levels are gaining at least 315 hours of ‘on-the-job’ experience during an industry placement.

Baroness Barran: We are committed to ensuring every T Level student completes a high-quality industry placement, which involves genuine and meaningful experience working with employers.We are monitoring the delivery of T Level industry placements to make sure that the first two cohorts of T Level students have a full placement secured but we are currently not collecting, nor planning to collect, data on what proportion of placement hours students are spending in a workplace setting. We have introduced some temporary industry placement flexibilities for the first two cohorts of T Level students in direct response to the delivery challenges caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. This will ensure that students can successfully complete their industry placement and therefore pass their T Level. This includes allowing some of the placement hours to be delivered remotely. We have been clear that these flexibilities are to be used by exception only, that they are temporary and that the provision of in-person placements remains the expectation.

T-Levels

Lord Johnson of Marylebone: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the (1) quality, and (2) accessibility, of industry placements offered by T-Levels providers.

Baroness Barran: The department is committed to ensuring students have access to high quality industry placements and have provided an extensive programme of employer and provider support to help with the delivery and scale up of placements. We have invested £200 million over the past four years to help providers build their capacity and networks with employers to deliver high quality placements and we have published practical industry placement delivery guidance for both education providers and employers. We also have comprehensive packages of support in place for both providers and employers, which offer them tailored advice and hands-on support to deliver high-quality placements.To ensure access to placements, we have implemented several different delivery models to ensure placements are accessible and meaningful for all students, across all industries and locations. We are also engaging directly with employers through the department’s employer engagement teams to provide a strong pipeline of employers for the future, across all sectors and across the country, ready to offer placements. We have established a T Level employer ambassador network to engage with others in their industries on T Levels and placements, and our communications campaigns are continuing to raise the profile of T Levels and industry placements to an employer audience.We will continue to monitor placement provision and work closely with providers and employers to identify any potential barriers to the delivery of placements for each of the T Levels, including access, and identify appropriate mitigations.

Care Homes: Profits

Lord Laming: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the profits declared by companies providing children’s care homes; and what steps they are taking to prevent tax-payer funded care home providers from making excessive profits in future.

Baroness Barran: The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) launched a market study in March 2021 exploring the lack of availability and increasing costs in children’s social care provision, including children’s homes, and fostering. It examines concerns around high prices paid by local authorities and inadequate supply of appropriate placements for children. The interim report was published on 22 October 2021 and noted that some relevant parties had expressed concerns around the level of profits made by large private sector providers of children’s homes. It considers the profit levels to be a symptom of the underlying problem of insufficient supply of appropriate places and the difficulties local authorities have in engaging effectively in this market. The full report, including any recommendations, will be published by the 11 March 2022. In addition to the CMA market study, the independent children’s social care review is taking a fundamental look at the needs, experiences, and outcomes of those supported by children’s social care, and what is needed to make a real difference. The review is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reform systems and services, with the aim of better supporting, protecting, and improving the outcomes of vulnerable children and young people. ​The government will respond to both sets of recommendations after the respective reviews have concluded.

Qualifications

Lord Johnson of Marylebone: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to build confidence in the (1) longevity, and (2) value, of applied general qualifications.

Baroness Barran: The department will continue to fund a range of qualifications similar to current applied general qualifications. These can be taken alongside and as alternatives to A levels where they are necessary, high-quality and support progression to higher education. Through the post-16 qualifications review, these qualifications will need to meet new quality criteria to ensure they are well-designed and have strong progression value to be funded in future. This means that students, employers, and universities can have confidence in their value.

Ministry of Justice

Prisoners on Remand: Suicide

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatwas the (1) number, and (2) ratio, of prisoners held on remand in England who have (a) committed suicide, and (b) attempted to commit suicide, in each of the last 10 years.

Lord Patten: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether, and if so how, their policies towards suicide prevention in prisons differ between remand and convicted prisoners.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: The table below sets out the number of self-inflicted deaths of remand prisoners in the ten years to December 2021. It also shows the percentage of all such deaths that were of remand prisoners. Our figures refer to self-inflicted deaths, rather than suicides. Self-inflicted deaths include any death of a person who has apparently taken his or her own life, irrespective of intent. This includes not only suicides but also accidental deaths as a result of the person’s own actions. We use this classification because we cannot always know whether someone intended to take their own life. Those are ultimately decisions for coroners, who investigate all deaths in custody. For similar reasons, we cannot identify “attempted suicides” separately from other forms of self-harm, as we may not know the prisoner’s intention. HM Prison & Probation Service does not operate a different approach to the prevention of suicide and self-harm among remand prisoners. All prisoners at risk of self-harm and suicide are supported equally, regardless of their situation. We recognise that remand is a known risk factor for self-harm and support is tailored to prisoners’ needs, particularly in the early days and weeks of custody. Following the unavoidable closure of courts in response to Covid-19, we are taking positive action to ensure more cases are heard and therefore to reduce the number of remand prisoners. This includes extending 32 nightingale courtrooms this year, installing video link equipment in all courts and increasing its capacity in prisons, removing the limit on Crown Court sitting days during 2021/22, and continuing to give priority to cases involving custody time limits.Self-inflicted deaths of remand prisoners, 2012 to 2021yearnumber of self-inflicted deaths% of all self-inflicted deaths20121830%20132938%20142629%20153640%20163327%20177321%20182729%20192428%20201928%20213237%

Marriage: Humanism

Baroness Bakewell: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to grant full legal status to humanist marriages.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: The Government will consider the case for comprehensive and enduring reform once the Law Commission has completed its review of marriage law. The Law Commission will present options for reforms to modernise marriage law. Options are expected to include offering couples greater flexibility to form their own ceremonies, allowing the ceremony to take place in a much broader range of locations and to provide a framework that could allow non-religious belief organisations (such as Humanists) and/or independent celebrants to conduct legally binding weddings. The report is expected in July 2022.

Prisoners' Release: Females

Lord Strasburger: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the annual report by the Independent Monitoring Board at HMP/Young Offenders Institute Bronzefield, published in November 2021; in particular, the finding that 77 per cent of women prisoners faced homelessness on release; and what plans they have to establish a funded pathway that ensures women leaving prison have access to safe and secure accommodation.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: We appreciate the work of the Independent Monitoring Boards (IMBs) and welcome the scrutiny they provide, including the findings of this report on HMP & YOI Bronzefield. Their findings regarding accommodation for female prison leavers reflect the specific challenges women face in securing suitable accommodation.Our Prisons Strategy White Paper sets out our vision that no-one subject to probation supervision is released from prison homeless.To achieve this, HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) launched a new transitional accommodation service providing up to 12 weeks' accommodation and support for those leaving prison at risk of homelessness. The service was initially launched last July in five probation areas in England, including in Kent Surrey and Sussex. From 2024-5, we will invest £200m per year to transform our approach to rehabilitation. This includes expanding the transitional accommodation service across England and Wales to support the thousands of people who leave prison each year without accommodation, as announced in the Prison Strategy White Paper published in December 2021.The transitional accommodation takes account of the needs of women, including those with complex needs, with accommodation provision dedicated to single gender usage as required.HMPPS has also introduced Housing Specialists in twenty prisons, including HMP Bronzefield, to support prisons to be more strategic in their response to reducing homelessness, including working in partnership with Probation teams and Local Authorities to develop accommodation pathways on release from prison. Our White Paper outlines our commitment to increase the number of Housing Specialists to 48 across England and Wales, including within the female estate. The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) launched their Accommodation for Ex-Offenders (AFEO) scheme on 28 July 2021 to support offenders at risk of homelessness into private rental tenancies. Overall, this financial year, £13 million has been allocated to 87 schemes across 145 local authorities. Combined with our temporary accommodation service, this builds a pathway from prison to settled accommodation.

Prisoners' Release: Females

Baroness Stern: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to include unsafe, temporary and insecure accommodation within definitions of homelessness when collecting data on women leaving prison.

Baroness Stern: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many womenhave left prison without safe accommodation to return to in each of the last five years.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: Data on settled accommodation for supervised women prison leavers from 2017/18 to 2019/20 is currently recorded and published in the Community Performance Statistics on gov.uk (https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/prison-and-probation-trusts-performance-statistics#community-performance-statistics). Data for 2020/21 will be published in July.To ensure consistent and accurate data recording, HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS), in collaboration with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities (DLUHC) and the Welsh Government, has recently updated the Accommodation Recording Guidance to ensure probation regions have a clear and consistent understanding of the accommodation status definitions, and how to record accurately. The Guidance defines homelessness as where an individual is rough sleeping, squatting, residing in night shelters, emergency hostels or campsites. Individuals with other forms of temporary, short-term or otherwise unstable accommodation are encompassed within the ‘unsettled accommodation’ category in published statistics.Our Prisons Strategy White Paper sets out our vision that no-one subject to probation supervision is released from prison homeless.To achieve this, HMPPS launched a new transitional accommodation service providing up to 12 weeks’ accommodation and support for those leaving prison at risk of homelessness. The service was launched last July in five probation areas in England. From 2024-5, we will spend £200m per year to reduce reoffending, including expanding the provision to support the thousands of people across England and Wales who leave prison each year without accommodation. The service takes account of the needs of women with accommodation provision dedicated to single gender usage as required. DLUHC launched their Accommodation for Ex-Offenders (AFEO) scheme on 28 July 2021 to support offenders at risk of homelessness into private rental tenancies. Overall, this financial year, £13 million has been allocated to 87 schemes across 145 local authorities. Combined with our temporary accommodation service, this builds a pathway from prison to settled accommodation.

Courts: Fines

Lord Wasserman: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the cost to the Exchequer of enforcingcourt finesinEngland and Wales for (1) 2016, (2) 2017, (3) 2018, (4) 2019, and (5) 2020.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: The National Compliance and Enforcement Service (NCES) is a division of HM Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) responsible on behalf of the courts for the collection and enforcement of court-imposed financial penalties, which includes fines, and the disbursement of funds to third parties. The total spend position for the NCES over the period in question is provided in the below table:Financial Year£0002016-1759,9302017-1861,1842018-1960,4332019-2059,9582020-2152,029Costs of collection and enforcement are not separable from the costs of disbursements of compensation to victims, victim surcharge, costs to the Crown Prosecution Service and other prosecution costs. Nor is it possible to break down the specific cost of pursuing unpaid court imposed financial penalties against the cost of administering financial penalties that are paid. Furthermore, it should be noted that the NCES shares a number of services with other areas across HMCTS and the MoJ (e.g. shared buildings, IT etc), the cost for which cannot be separated, and that these figures represent therefore only partial costs using a cost modelling approach.In addition, there are costs to HMCTS if cases are referred back to court for enforcement hearings which we are unable to break down.

Courts: Fines

Lord Wasserman: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people in each localauthority areareceived a court fine in England and Wales for (1) 2016, (2) 2017, (3) 2018, (4) 2019, and (5) 2020.

Lord Wasserman: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people in eachlocal authorityareadid not pay their court fine in England and Wales within 12 months for (1) 2016, (2) 2017, (3) 2018, (4) 2019, and (5) 2020.

Lord Wasserman: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people in each localjustice area received a court fine in England and Wales for (1) 2016, (2) 2017, (3) 2018, (4) 2019, and (5) 2020.

Lord Wasserman: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many peoplein each local justice areadid not pay their court fine in England and Wales within 12 months for (1) 2016, (2) 2017, (3) 2018, (4) 2019, and (5) 2020.

Lord Wolfson of Tredegar: The Ministry of Justice holds published information on sentencing outcomes in England and Wales up to December 2020.Court outcomes data is not held at either local authority or local justice area geographical level. Data is published at a police force area geographical level. Data on the number of people in each police force area who received a court fine in England and Wales for 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 can be found in the attached table.We do not centrally hold data on the number of people who do not pay their court fines, and the data requested for each of these questions cannot be obtained without incurring disproportionate cost.HL6325_HL6326_HL6327_HL6328_table (xlsx, 20.2KB)

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office

Belarus and Ukraine

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what discussions they have had with other (1) Council of Europe, and (2) Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe, members to deal with tensions arising over Belarus and the Ukraine.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We regularly use our public communications and position in multilateral fora, such as the UN and the OSCE. The Prime Minister has met with world leaders including those of the US, Italy, Poland, Romania, France, Germany, the European Council, the European Commission and NATO to discuss the situation in Ukraine. On 22 February, the Minister for Europe and North America spoke at a Reinforced OSCE Meeting on the situation in and around Ukraine where he condemned President Putin's decision to recognise the so-called Donetsk and Luhansk People's Republics, and called out Russia for undermining the Minsk process. We will stand by the people of Ukraine and the Minister for Europe and North America called on other participating States to do likewise. On 23 February, the Council of Europe discussed the implications of Russia's actions against Ukraine. Our Ambassador emphasised that Russia had violated the sovereignty and territorial integrity of a fellow Council of Europe member, and that the Council had a responsibility to act.

Military Aid: Reviews

Baroness Northover: To ask Her Majesty's Government whethertheywill publish the Stabilization Unit Independent Review of the Defence Engagement Programme for the financial year 2015–16.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: A search of FCDO and MOD records has not returned any documents matching this description.

Israeli Settlements

Baroness Sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of (1) the government of Israel's settlement policy, and (2) the reported harming of civilians protesting against new settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK's position on settlements is clear. They are illegal under international law. The former Minister for the Middle East, James Cleverly, raised UK opposition to settlement expansion with the Government of Israel on 9 November. We continue to stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population.

Armenia: Azerbaijan

Baroness Cox: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan formally to mark the anniversaries of the killing of Armenians in the Azerbaijani towns of (1) Sumgait in February 1988, (2) Ganja (then-Kirovabad) in November 1988, and (3) Baku in January 1990.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: These were tragic episodes in the history of this region and all of its peoples. Atrocities of this kind, and others which occurred, must never take place again. The UK Government utterly condemns the targeting of civilians (which is in breach of International Humanitarian Law) and continues to make every effort to support lasting peace and stability throughout the region. We have not made plans to mark these specific anniversaries.

Ahmad Mteir

Baroness Sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they are makingto the government of Israel concerning the reported assault of Ahmad Mteir, a resident of Qalandiya Refugee Camp, by Israeli border police officers.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK continues to stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population.

Nagorno Karabakh: Cultural Heritage

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Azerbaijan about allowing UNESCO to undertake an independent mission to draw an inventory of significant cultural properties in Nagorno-Karabakh.

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to work with (1) other governments, and (2) international partners, to ensure the protection of Armenian cultural heritage sites in Nagorno-Karabakh.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government continues to raise the importance of the protection of all cultural heritage sites with the Governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan and is deeply concerned by reports that both parties have destroyed cultural heritage. The UK Government continues to urge the governments of Armenia and Azerbaijan, both bilaterally and in our statements in multilateral fora such as the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe, to allow international organisations unrestricted access to all areas of the region. This includes pressing both sides to ensure UNESCO is able to undertake its crucial work in support of historical and cultural heritage. We continue to underline our support for the efforts of UNESCO.

Armenia: Azerbaijan

The Lord Bishop of St Albans: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the formation of the government of Azerbaijan's working group to remove traces of Armenian heritage from Armenian churches.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK Government has and will continue to urge both parties to protect the cultural heritage of all sites in the region and are deeply concerned by reports that both parties have destroyed cultural heritage. We will continue to raise our concerns with the respective governments and urge them to allow UNESCO unrestricted access to the region.

Imports: Northern Ireland

Lord Browne of Belmont: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they will take to protect businesses in the engineering, manufacturing and construction sectors in Northern Ireland from any price increases for products imported from China when EU anti-dumping duties come into force in February in accordance with the terms of the Protocol on Ireland/Northern Ireland.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Government recognises that global economic conditions continue to be challenging for the steel industry, including overcapacity, unfair subsidies and dumping.Goods subject to EU anti-dumping measures being moved into Northern Ireland are considered to be 'at risk' and therefore attract the EU customs duty rate. Traders can claim a customs duty waiver for imported goods that would otherwise be charged at-risk tariffs, which means that they would not have to pay the duty owed. There are limits on how much a business can claim within a three tax year period, and businesses should check guidance available at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/claim-a-waiver-for-duty-on-goods-that-you-bring-to-northern-ireland-from-great-britain to see if this option is appropriate for them.Issues like this one underscore why the Government has been clear that changes are required to the Protocol so that goods remaining within the UK's customs territory are not subject to tariffs or unnecessary processes and paperwork.

USA: Immigration Controls

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assurancesthey have received from the government of the United States that the permitted airport Homeland Security checks are random and not based on racial and other profiling.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: US airport security checks are a matter for the US authorities. The US Department for Homeland Security has established mechanisms for anyone to submit a complaint if they feel they have been subject to discriminatory checks at US airports. Further details are on their website at: https://www.dhs.gov/file-civil-rights-complaint.

Bahrain: Human Rights

Lord Scriven: To ask Her Majesty's Government which, if any, human rights abuses in Bahrain Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon discussed with the King of Bahrain at their meeting on 13 February.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Bahrain is a Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office human rights priority country. We regularly discuss human rights issues and individual cases with senior members of the Government of Bahrain, as well as with the independent human rights oversight bodies. The visit to Bahrain from 13-14 February by the Minister of State for South and Central Asia, UN and the Commonwealth, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad was a further opportunity to do so.

Tunisia: Administration of Justice

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Joint Statement on the Supreme Judicial Council in Tunisia by the UK Ambassador to Tunisiaand others on 8 February, what discussions they have had with the President of Tunisia about his intention to dissolve the independent Supreme Judicial Council.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK believes that checks and balances are needed in all political systems and an independent judiciary is a core component of a functioning, transparent democracy. We have raised these issues with Tunisian Foreign Minister Jerandi. We strongly support the people of Tunisia in their pursuit of effective, democratic, and transparent governance. We have called for continued public commitment to and respect for all Tunisians' civil, political, social and economic rights, and to the rule of law.

Afghanistan: Humanitarian Situation

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to prevent a humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan; and in particular, what steps they are taking to protect children in that country.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: In January, the Foreign Secretary announced £97 million humanitarian assistance, delivering on the UK's promise to double UK aid to Afghanistan to £286 million in 2021-22. We have now disbursed over £176 million to Afghanistan and for Afghan refugees in the region to address the most urgent humanitarian needs. We are working closely with the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) to ensure children have increased access to life-saving health, nutrition and protection services, including supporting over 224,000 children with lifesaving treatment for severe acute malnutrition in Afghanistan.

Afghanistan: Pakistan

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government when the Prime Minister last discussed the situation in Afghanistan with Imran Khan, Prime Minister of Pakistan.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The Prime Minister discussed the situation in Afghanistan with Prime Minister Imran Khan when they spoke in August 2021. They discussed the importance of international and regional partners working together to avoid a humanitarian disaster in Afghanistan. We remain in close contact with the Government of Pakistan on the situation in Afghanistan. In November, the UK Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan travelled to Islamabad and discussed the crisis with senior members of the Pakistan Government. Most recently, Lord Ahmad discussed Pakistan's role in helping the people of Afghanistan with Foreign Minister Qureshi on 27 February.

Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office: Departmental Responsibilities

Lord Allen of Kensington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was their rationale for cutting the post of Minister for the Middle East and North Africa at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Ministerial appointments are a decision for the Prime Minister. The Middle East and North Africa ministerial post remains within the FCDO.

Greece and Turkey: Migrants and Refugees

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to seek to establish an independent inquiry into the deaths of (1) migrants, and (2) refugees, from exposure to the cold on the frontier between Turkey and Greece.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We engage closely with international partners on a 'whole of route' approach to addressing the challenges of irregular migration and are committed to supporting international efforts to manage migration effectively, including dismantling the criminal gangs encouraging migrants to make such dangerous journeys. We urge all sides to uphold international law and international human rights standards and to avoid any actions that may endanger human life.

Israel: Palestinians

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made tothe Palestinian Authority not to ban or disrupt funerals ofPalestinian citizens who have been killed by Israeli forces.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We continue to urge all sides to demonstrate respect for human rights and respect for the dead.

Israel: Social Media

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Israel (1) to withdraw, or (2) to introduce safeguards to, the “Facebook Law” allowing Israeli courts to remove from social media platforms content perceived as harming security.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We recognise Israel's legitimate need to deploy security measures and we encourage them to deploy these in a way that minimises tension. We continue to reiterate the importance of freedom of expression to both the Government of Israel and Palestinian Authority.

India: Waste Management

Lord Hylton: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of India regarding its waste management policies and the impact of pollution from waste sites in that country.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: Her Majesty's Government regularly engages with the Government of India on a full range of issues around climate and the environment. Roadmap 2030 set out HMG's intention to build a partnership with India, and support their transition to a resource-efficient and circular economy. The UK and India are working together to identify, develop and deploy technologies to treat waste to generate energy, recycle materials, and extract resources of value. The Green Growth Equity Fund and National Investment and Infrastructure Fund will further allow mobilising institutional investments in the targeted renewable energy, waste management, electric mobility and environment sub-sectors.The British High Commission in India is engaged in a Twin Cities Marine Litter Partnership: a twinning initiative between cities in India and the Devolved Administration sharing best practices for waste management, increasing recyclability rates and promoting circular economy. This will strengthen grassroots level implementation of waste management practices and tackle plastic pollution. The first twinning is between Aberystwyth, Wales and Puducherry, India. As Parties to the Basel Convention, the UK and India also share common objectives to protect human health and the environment against the adverse effects that may result from the generation, transboundary movement and management of hazardous and other wastes.

Israel: Palestinians

Baroness Janke: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the government of Israel's proposed plan to introduce a new Citizenship Law to ban Palestinian family unification.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: As a friend to Israel, we have expressed our concern in cases where Israeli laws could undermine the equality of members of minority groups. We encourage the Israeli Government to abide by its obligations under international law and do all it can to uphold the values of equality for all enshrined in its laws.

Development Aid: Rainforests

Lord Field of Birkenhead: To ask Her Majesty's Government what grants they made for rainforest protection in the last year for which data are available; and whether they will list in a table the recipients of each grant and the amount provided.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: In 2018, approximately £74.6 million of bilateral International Climate Finance (ICF) was spent, in the form of grants, on forestry and forestry policy and administration with a further £11.8 million spent on forestry through contributions to multilateral climate funds.Details of UK ICF spending are reported to, and published by, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Secretariat biennially. The most recent publication covers years 2017 and 2018 and can be found at: https://unfccc.int/BRs. This dataset lists all ICF programmes with their spend and benefitting countries, where this data is available. In addition, details of all UK ICF programmes can be found at Development Tracker (fcdo.gov.uk).The UK Government remains committed to doubling our International Climate Finance to £11.6 billion over the five years 2021/22 - 2025/26, of which at least £3 billion will be invested to protect and restore nature and biodiversity including at least £1.5 billion to support the global pledge to halt deforestation made at COP26 (Over 100 leaders make landmark pledge to end deforestation at COP26 - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).

Israel: Palestinians

Baroness Janke: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatrepresentations they are making to the government of Israel concerning reports of Palestinian woman being subjected to intimate body searches by Israeli forces in 2015.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: We expect any such allegations to be thoroughly investigated by the Israeli authorities. We continue to stress the importance of the Israeli security forces providing appropriate protection to the Palestinian civilian population.

Jerusalem: Palestinians

Baroness Janke: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Joint Statement of the Humanitarian Country Team on the imminent eviction of the Salem Family in Sheikh Jarrah in East Jerusalem, published on 18 February.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK is clear that in all but the most exceptional of circumstances, demolitions and evictions are contrary to International Humanitarian Law. On 19 January, the former Minister for the Middle East, James Cleverly, urged the Government of Israel to stop these practices. The UK is committed to working with all parties to maintain calm and avoid provocation.

Israel: Palestinians

Baroness Janke: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they aremaking to the government of Israelabout reports of violence towards Palestinians protesting against the demolition of homes in the Masafer Yatta region of the South Hebron Hills.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK regularly raises the issue of settler violence with the Government of Israel, most recently with Israel's Ministry of Defense on 20 January. We welcome discussion by the Israeli authorities on how to address this issue, and urge Israel to bring those responsible to justice.

Gaza: Health Services

Baroness Sheehan: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made ofthe data from the Gaza Sub-National Health Cluster and WHO that indicate that (1) in December 2021 Gaza only had 40 per cent of the essential medicines it needs, amounting to just one month's supply, and (2) in some months as many as 50 per cent of permits for treatment outside Gaza are denied or delayed by the Israeli authorities.

Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon: The UK continues to monitor closely the ongoing humanitarian situation in Gaza. We are a longstanding supporter to the UN Relief and Works Agency, which provides core services, including healthcare to Palestinian refugees in Gaza. The UK Embassy in Tel Aviv regularly raises the importance of access to healthcare with the Israeli authorities.

Burundi: Sanctions

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to revisit the sanctions imposed on Burundi after the lifting of sanctions by the EU and United States of America.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: We note that the US Government revoked its Burundi sanctions regime in November 2021 and that in February 2022 the EU lifted its suspension on direct financial assistance to the Government of Burundi. The EU retains a separate sanctions regime on Burundi, under which four individuals are designated. The UK's Burundi (Sanctions) Regulations 2021 are no longer in force. No individuals or entities were designated under those regulations. However we remain concerned about reports of human rights violations and abuses being committed against political opposition, critical voices and human rights defenders in Burundi. The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is therefore working on re-laying new Regulations to allow us to impose sanctions rapidly if needed. As required by Section 30 of the Sanctions and Anti-Money Laundering Act 2018, the Government will report annually to Parliament on all sanctions regimes.

Nigeria: Abduction

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made, if any, to the government of Nigeria regarding the student abducted from Bethel BaptistHigh School in Kaduna state in July 2021.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: The UK Government condemns all attacks on schools; abductions of children are abhorrent and must stop. We continue to raise attacks on schools with the Government of Nigeria, and the Government of Nigeria has provided assurances that it is making every effort to secure the release of all those still held captive.The UK is working with Nigeria through our security and defence partnership to help build capacity to respond to kidnaps. We have provided mentoring and capacity-building support to Nigerian Police Force units to improve their anti-kidnap capacity, to help reduce harm to victims, and to hold those responsible to account. During her recent visit to Nigeria, the Minister for Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean raised rising insecurity and its impact on the Nigerian people in meetings with the Vice President and Foreign Minister, and reiterated the UK's commitment to work with Nigeria to address violence, protect human rights, and promote dialogue and respect between different ethnic and religious communities. The Minister hosted a roundtable on conflict and intercommunal violence in Northern Nigeria, which included officials from the Kaduna State Peace Commission, and the discussion covered topics including rising insecurity and kidnaps in Nigeria.

Ministry of Defence

Wagner Group

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to hamper the global activities of (1) the Wagner Group, a Russian private military company, and (2) other similar organisations.

Baroness Goldie: It is clear that the Wagner Group and other similar organisations do not provide enduring security. Her Majesty's Government (HMG) will continue to attribute and expose where Wagner or other organisations undermine security and commit human rights abuses.In December 2021, the UK issued a statement with 15 international partners to firmly condemn the deployment of the Wagner Group in Mali, which we believe can only further deteriorate the security environment.In 2020, HMG placed an asset freeze and travel ban on an individual closely associated with Wagner Group, Yevgeniy Viktorovich Prigozhin, following his support to the Group's activities in Libya, where they were involved in multiple and repeated breaches of the arms embargo in Libya established in UNSCR 1970.

Armed Forces: Housing

Lord German: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the average cost of maintenance for each armed forces housing unit in each of the last six years.

Baroness Goldie: The average cost of maintenance for each Service Family Accommodation (SFA) for the last six financial years is shown in the table below: Financial YearAverage cost per SFA2015-16£1,1352016-17£1,1692017-18£1,2042018-19£1,2402019-20£1,2772020-21£1,289

Armed Forces: Housing

Lord German: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many armed forces housing units in the UK are currently unoccupied; and how many empty units there were in each yearsince 2015.

Baroness Goldie: As of 22 February 2022, there are 9,031 vacant Service Family Accommodation units (SFA) in the UK. The table below details how many vacant SFA there were in the UK, in each calendar year since 2015: January 201510,288January 20169,950January 201710,357January 201811,342January 201911,584January 202010,472January 20219,712January 20229,404

Armed Forces: Buildings

Lord German: To ask Her Majesty's Government what improvements they expect to be provided by the Armed Forces Future Defence Infrastructure Services Contract which commences on1 April.

Baroness Goldie: The Future Defence Infrastructure Services Accommodation contracts will deliver a number of improved services, including: · Adopting industry standards on planned and preventative maintenance services. · Shortened repair response times. Ensuring our suppliers attend appointments equipped to complete the repair in a single visit. · Greater choice around appointment times, including weekday evenings and Saturday mornings, offering a one-hour time slot. · Independent assurance that Service Family Accommodation prepared for move-ins meets the right standards before the family arrives. · Incentivising supplier performance linked to levels of service performance targets and customer satisfaction.

Sudan: Military Aid

Baroness Northover: To ask Her Majesty's Government what (1) military, (2) security service, and (3) policing, training was provided in the financial years (a) 2016–17, (b) 2017–18, (c) 2018–19, (d) 2019–20, and (e) 2020–21, to the Sudanese Armed Forces and its members, both in the UK and in Sudan; andwhat was the cost of any such training.

Baroness Goldie: The following information is drawn from our records on UK Defence assistance to Sudan in the financial years 2016-17, 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, and 2020-21. Financial YearCourse2020-21No training provided  2019-20Support to East African Standby Force development Project Management course  2018-19Overseas Directing Staff Course British Military English Course (Basic) Exclusive Economic Zone Protection course Managing Defence in the Wider Security Context Teacher Training Short Term Training Team (incl. peacekeeping advice) International English Language Testing System exams Staff College English Language Training English Language Training placement tests Cranfield University Partnered Masters course International Humanitarian Law / Law of Armed Conflict (X2) English Language Training  2017-18British Military English Course (Basic) Teaching Methods Conflict Analysis Strategic Leadership Programme Royal College of Defence Studies British Military English Course (Intermediate) Managing Defence in the Wider Security Context English Language training (X2) Cranfield University Partnered Masters programme International Humanitarian Law course Strategic Planning for Security and Development Cross Cultural Communications Teaching Knowledge Test course International English Language Testing System course  2016-17British Military English Course (Intermediate) Conflict Analysis Royal College of Defence Studies British Military English Course (Basic) Senior Strategic Leadership Programme Strategic Planning for Security and Development Law of Armed Conflict and Directors training International Humanitarian Law course English Language training Cranfield University Partnered Masters programme Managing Defence in the Wider Security Context  Financial YearCost of UK defence education and training delivered to Sudan (£k)2020-2102019-2038.32018-19410.72017-18516.32016-17494.4

Sudan: Military Aid

Baroness Northover: To ask Her Majesty's Government what were the (1) course contents, and (2) objectives of training, given by the UK to the Sudanese Armed Forces since 2016.

Baroness Goldie: The Ministry of Defence did not deliver any training to the Sudanese Armed Forces in 2020-21. Before that date, our objective in providing Defence assistance was to promote peacebuilding and stability in Sudan. As such, the content of our training courses was designed to promote awareness (including through appropriate English language courses) of British military doctrine, of the need for civilian primacy, and of international humanitarian law.

Sudan: Military Aid

Baroness Northover: To ask Her Majesty's Government what (1) military, (2) security, and (3) policing training, is currently being provided to the Sudanese Armed Forces in the UK and Sudan; what are the numbers of Sudanese Armed Forces members being trained; and which UK government departments are bearing the cost of these training programmes.

Baroness Goldie: The Ministry of Defence is not providing any military, security or police training to the Sudanese Armed Forces either in the UK or in Sudan.

Sudan: Military Aid

Baroness Northover: To ask Her Majesty's Government what (1) surveillance equipment, (2) technology, or (3) training, has been supplied to (a) the Sudanese Armed Forces, and (b) the government of Sudan, since 2017.

Baroness Goldie: We have not issued any licences for the supply of surveillance equipment or technology to the Sudanese Armed Forces or the Government of Sudan since 2017.

Mali: Home Country Nationals

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that individuals in Mali at personal risk through their involvement with British forces and officials canbe extracted and resettled if necessary.

Baroness Goldie: The UK has a small number of contracted interpreters supporting UK personnel in Mali and we take their personal security very seriously. Our contracting standards require that people must be as safe and secure as reasonably possible when working in our support. We are not aware of an immediate threat to UK contractors at this time.

Department for Work and Pensions

National Insurance: Migrants

Lord Green of Deddington: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer byBaroness Stedman-Scott on 11 February (HL5761), what is (1) the underlying data issue affecting the calculation of the scale of National Insurance numbers issued to adult overseas arrivals from June 2021 onwards, (2)the scale of the uncertainty about the numbers involved, (3) the degree and manner in which this has affected and is likely to affect the future development of the Administrative-Based Migration Estimates,and (4) the period over which net migration estimates are likely to be affected.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: The decision was made to delay the November 2021 release of the National Statistics publication of National Insurance numbers allocated to adult overseas nationals following an investigation involving HMRC where a technical issue was identified which work is now underway to rectify. Once the work is complete and the data has been validated, we will notify users of our plans to publish the statistical back series in line with the UK Statistics Authority Code of Practice for Statistics. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is responsible for migration estimates and they announced in November 2021 their plan to include data from the DWP Registration And Population Interactions Dataset (RAPID) in their Administrative-Based Migration Estimates. The current RAPID data is not affected by this issue as it only covers the period to end March 2021.

Household Support Fund

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people have so far requested assistance from the Household Support Fund.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: Any requests for assistance from Household Support Fund will have been directed to Local Authorities, who are running the schemes in their local area. The Household Support Fund requires that Local Authorities provide Management Information returns to the Department to be published at the end of the scheme.

Social Security Benefits: Disability

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what was the change over the last three years in the level of disability-related benefits that were paid weekly to individuals; and what consideration, if any, they have given to removing the requirement to justify the use of that payment.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: The information requested is in the table below. Personal Independence Payment2019/20 (£)2020/21 (£)2021/22 (£)Daily living component   Enhanced87.6589.1589.60Standard58.7059.7060.00Mobility component   Enhanced61.2062.2562.55Standard23.2023.6023.70Disability Living Allowance   Care component   Highest87.6589.1589.60Middle58.7059.7060.00Lowest23.2023.6023.70Mobility component   Higher61.2062.2562.55Lower23.2023.6023.70Attendance Allowance   Higher rate87.6589.1589.60Lower rate58.7059.7060.00 The benefit rates are published annually on www.gov.UK and can be located by searching for “benefit and pension rates”. Attendance Allowance, Disability Living Allowance and Personal Independence Payment are intended to act as a contribution towards the extra costs that arise as a result of a long-term health condition or disability. Claimants are free to use their payments in whatever way they want and according to their own priorities and needs. These benefits can also be used as a gateway to other benefits to assist in their income and day to day lives.

Sick Pay: Coronavirus

Lord Jones of Cheltenham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to amend sick pay regulations to match those in Germany to encourage employees who display symptoms of COVID-19 to remain at home.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: As part of the Government's response to the pandemic, Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) has been made payable from the first day of sickness absence from work, rather than the fourth, and eligibility extended to those who are following public health advice on self-isolation due to coronavirus, including where they do not have symptoms. These measures will remain in place until 24th March 2022. Sick pay regimes sit alongside the different welfare systems, economies, and employment obligations and protections in place internationally which need to be taken into account when making international comparisons. In the UK, SSP should not be looked at in isolation. Government support through the welfare system, including Universal Credit, is also available for those on low incomes who need extra financial help when they are sick or incapable of work. As we learn to live with Covid-19, Government is continuing to take a broader look at the role of SSP and is keeping the system under review.

Cold Weather Payments and Winter Fuel Payment

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many people are in receipt of (1) the Cold Weather Payment, and (2) the Winter Fuel Payment.

Baroness Stedman-Scott: There are an estimated 4 million eligible recipients for Cold Weather Payments in Great Britain. As at 18 February 2022 there have been six cold weather triggers, leading to 13,000 Cold Weather Payments being made this winter so far. Winter Fuel Payments are payable to everyone who has reached State Pension age on or before the end of the third week of September in any particular year. The latest published Winter Fuel Payments statistics are for the period 2019/20 and show that 11.4m customers received a payment in Great Britain.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Food: Waste

Lord Lebedev: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have, if any, to provide financial incentives to farmers to ensure surplus food can be given to charities and food banks, as well as sent to anaerobic digestion plants.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: Since 2017, Defra has made a series of grants available to help the redistribution sector in their important work. Nearly £12 million has been awarded to over 250 large and small organisations across the country for the provision of, for example, warehousing, vehicles, fridges and freezers to get more surplus food to those who have a need. With the infrastructure support that has been provided, we believe these projects will continue to reduce food waste and deliver safe discounted food for many years to come. Defra is committed to the WRAP-led Food Waste Reduction Roadmap which supports business to waste less through the Target, Measure and Act approach. By measuring and acting on waste more surplus will be redistributed. Whatever preventative and reduction actions are taken, some food waste will arise. Anaerobic digestion (AD) is the Government's preferred option for recycling food that eventually ends up in waste. We want to prioritise prevention of waste and therefore avoid financial incentives for farmers to send food to AD instead of redistribution. In most cases, AD plants charge a 'gate fee' to treat food waste used as a feedstock.

Food Poverty

Lord Lebedev: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the Food Foundation’s food insecurity data, published on 7 February; in particular, the finding that one million adults reported that they or someone in their household had to go a whole day without eating in the past month because they could not afford or access food; and what steps they intend to take in response to address food insecurity.

Lord Benyon: In December 2021, the Government published the first UK Food Security Report which included an assessment of household food security. Latest National statistics data from the Department of Work and Pension’s Family Resources Survey published in March 2021, shows that 92% of households were food secure. The Family Resources Survey is a continuous household survey which collects information on a representative sample of houses in the UK and has a large sample of 20,000 households. We continue to monitor all key indicators and engage with independent surveys including the Food Foundation on an ongoing basis. We are committed to continue to report on this in future food security reports. Tackling poverty in all forms is a key priority for this Government. We know people are facing pressures with the increasing cost of living and recognise that some need extra support with essentials like food shopping and other day-to-day costs. We are taking action worth £12 billion to help them, including through the Household Support Fund to support low-income households in England with the cost of food, utilities and wider essentials this winter.

Peat Bogs: Conservation

Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to (1) increase, and (2) bring forward, their targets for peatland restoration.

Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park: England's peatlands are our largest terrestrial carbon store. They provide a home for rare wildlife, regulate our water supply and provide a record of the past. However, only 13% of our peatlands are in a near-natural state.In the Net Zero Strategy, we committed to aim to restore approximately 280,000 ha of peatland in England by 2050. At least 35,000 ha of peatlands in England will be restored by 2025 via the Nature for Climate Fund, and we are exploring future funding options through the development of our environmental land management schemes, including learning from the recommendations of the Lowland Peat Agricultural Taskforce.Our current commitments represent a tripling of historic average annual restoration levels. Natural England is currently developing an Implementation Plan which will set out how the England Peat Action Plan will be delivered, including a trajectory of restoration over the next 20 years. We will continue to keep our policies under review, to ensure that we meet Defra’s share of upcoming carbon budgets.

Weedkillers: Exports

Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the global number of (1) deaths, and (2) injuries, caused by UK exports of the banned herbicide paraquat to countries where its use remains legal; what assessment they made of the environmental impact of such exports; and what considerationthey have given to restricting exports of pesticides thatare banned in the UK.

Lord Benyon: We take our trade and international obligations for human health and the environment seriously and continue to monitor action in other countries and learn from their experiences.The export of paraquat from Great Britain (GB) is regulated under the GB Prior Informed Consent (PIC) regulatory regime for the export and import of certain hazardous chemicals. Companies intending to export any of these chemicals from the GB must notify the importing country via the exporter’s Designated National Authority. For GB, the Designated National Authority is The Health and Safety Executive (HSE).Paraquat additionally requires the explicit consent of the importing country before export can take place. The exchange of information that PIC provides allows the importing countries to make informed decisions on the import of those chemicals and on how to handle and use them safely. This process is kept under review.We believe it is essential that the use of actives that are known to be hazardous to human health or the environment should be subject to scientific risk assessment, mitigation and regulatory protections. That is why we support notification of the export of Paraquat under GB PIC and support its listing under the Rotterdam convention. ​Additionally, the UK is committed to working internationally including through the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the Strategic Approach to International Chemicals Management (SAICM) and United Nations Environment Assembly to support other nations to safely manage pesticides. We also believe in evidence-based international policy-making through the use of scientific committees, such as the Chemical Review Committee, and strengthening of the international ‘science - policy interface’ for chemicals and pesticides to support global decision-making.We are progressing projects assessing the impacts of pesticides, including Paraquat, on human health and the environment in developing countries. We will continue to support developing countries to use pest management techniques which are most beneficial for them based on evidence and the expressed desires of the countries.

Animals: Diseases

The Marquess of Lothian: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they taking to improve international cooperation on identifying (1) animal viruses, and (2) zoonotic diseases.

Lord Benyon: The UK continues to play a leading role in this critical area as part of our wider work to tackle zoonotic diseases, which are responsible for around 60% of all human diseases and 75% of all new and emerging infectious diseases. Our world-class laboratories provide capability-building services to global partners, integrating technical support, surveillance, risk analysis and epidemiology expertise, and participating in numerous global research and development networks which offer a multi-disciplinary approach for early detection systems and emergency preparedness and response coordination, with a focus on animal and zoonotic diseases. We also support country and regional partners through our Official Development Assistance budget to strengthen global health systems, so they are better able to prepare for, prevent, detect, and respond to a wide range of health threats, including zoonotic diseases. This includes our International Health Regulations Strengthening Project and Tackling Deadly Disease in Africa Programme, which take a One Health approach, emphasising the connections between human, animal, plant, and environmental health. The UK is committed to ensuring that a One Health approach is also embedded in a strengthened global health security architecture. This includes work that the World Health Organisation is now leading to progress a UK G7 initiative to develop an International Pathogen Surveillance Network, as well as support for the work of the multidisciplinary One Health High Level Expert Panel, which is led by the Tripartite and United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the proposed Berlin Hub for Pandemic and Epidemic Intelligence. During our G7 Presidency, we launched the One Health Intelligence Scoping Study, again led by the Tripartite and UNEP, and funded initially by the UK, which aims to improve global health resilience and early warning through building and integration of health intelligence systems. We also launched the International Zoonoses Community of Experts, which will facilitate greater international collaboration to strengthen zoonotic surveillance and risk assessment capacity, and hosted a very successful G7 Chief Vets Wildlife Meeting, which developed our collective knowledge of best practice in critical aspects of wildlife surveillance, intelligence sharing and risk communication. This year, the UK is chairing the Global Health Security Agenda Zoonotic Disease Action Package (ZDAP), where we will work collaboratively with ZDAP member countries and organisations to strengthen our ability to prepare for and prevent, detect, respond and recover from zoonotic diseases. In the Integrated Review of Security, Defence, Development and Foreign Policy, the Government committed to reviewing and reinforcing the cross-government approach to biological security, including a refresh of the 2018 strategy, recognising the need to re-evaluate the risk landscape and consider evolving priorities since COVID-19, and in view of rapid advances in science and technology. We recently issued a Call for Evidence (copy attached to this answer) to help inform the refresh. By engaging with the public, experts, and stakeholders beyond government, we will ensure that some of the best minds in the UK and beyond continue to provide rich insight and challenge.

Home Office

Care Workers: Visas

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to expand the Health and Care Visa scheme to allow for private households to sponsor (1) care assistants, (2) home carers, and (3) nursing home support workers.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The sponsorship system is designed to ensure employers fulfil specific duties to confirm those who apply for permission to enter or stay in the UK to work are eligible and will comply with the conditions of their visa.Businesses can comply with these duties and demonstrate a verifiable track record of operating lawfully in the UK, both within the immigration system and the wider employer regulatory regime, in a way private individuals and households cannot. This approach ensures the integrity of the immigration system and provides important safeguards for those who migrate to the UK.Following a recommendation by the independent Migration Advisory Committee in their recent annual report, the Government has made care worker, care assistant and home care worker roles (Standard Occupation Classification code 6145) eligible for the Health and Social Care Visa and added them to the Shortage Occupation List.This change came into effect on 15 February 2022 and will be in place initially for a 12-month period. Successful visa applicants will have all the same rights, benefits and obligations as other Health and Care visa holders including settlement.The Government looks forward to receiving the final MAC report into adult social care at the end of April and will review the future of this policy following that report and closer to the end of the 12-month period.

Football: Abuse

Lord Mann: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to their initiative on tackling the online abuse of footballers, what assessment they have made of the extent to which football clubs have taken up the opportunity of briefings from the police on systems for reporting and dealing with online abuse.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: We are aware that some clubs have responded to the offer made by the police of briefings on systems for reporting and dealing with online abuse. This is an operational matter for football clubs and their players to decide on. Police remain ready and willing to offer their support in tackling online abuse directed at footballers.

Espionage: Prosecutions

Lord Campbell-Savours: To ask Her Majesty's Government whatplans they have to introduce legislation to enable the prosecution of persons who prejudice the national security of the UK by acting as a covert agent for a foreign government.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: We are committed to introducing new legislation to ensure our security services and law enforcement agencies have the tools they need to disrupt state threats. The Government is reviewing responses to the Public Consultation on legislative proposals to tackle state threats which concluded last year. Legislation will be introduced as soon as parliamentary time allows

Police: Road Traffic Control

Lord Bradshaw: To ask Her Majesty's Government how many roads policing officers there were in England (1) on 1 January 2019, and (2) today.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: The Home Office collects and publishes data on the size of the police workforce in England and Wales on a biannual basis in the Police workforce, for England and Wales statistical bulletin, which can be found on gov.uk.Information on the number of police officers by function as at 31 March is published annually in tables F1, accompanying the police workforce statistics. The latest data, covering the situation as at 31 March 2021 are available here: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1005990/police-workforce-mar21-tables.ods, and below.The data in this table includes the number of police officers working under in ‘Road Policing’ functions.Table 1 below summarises the total number of full-time equivalent (FTE) police officers dedicated to ‘Road Policing’ functions as at 31 March 2019 and 2021.Table 1: Total full-time equivalent police officers dedicated to ‘Road Policing’ functions in the 39 territorial police forces in England As at 31 March:Number of ‘Road Policing’ officers (FTE)20194,11620213,785Notes:Police workers with multiple responsibilities (or designations) are recorded under their primary role or function.Some smaller forces have employees who work within units whose function is to provide both roads policing and armed policing, therefore comparisons over time should be made with caution.

Football: Arrests

Lord Mann: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of any trends in the number of arrests made among football supporters attending matches in England.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: We are clear that law abiding fans should be able to enjoy football matches in safety and that any violent or disorderly behaviour at matches will not be tolerated. In the 2020 to 2021 football season, there were 116 football-related arrests under Schedule 1 of the Football Spectators Act 1989 (as amended). Of these, the most common offence types were violent disorder (36%) and public disorder (34%). Arrests in the latest season are around 8% of the 2018 to 2019 football season (pre-Covid) level and will have been impacted by the fact that the vast majority of matches (93 %) were played without spectators. In addition, there were 24 football-related arrests by British Transport Police and 29 other (non-Schedule 1) arrests at football matches in the 2020 to 2021 football season. The trend in football-related arrests continues to fall and the number of football-related arrests have reduced steadily since 2000 and by 50% since 2010/11 season. Arrest is just one of the powers the police have to deal with those intent on causing trouble. Preventative football banning orders, targeted and proportionate public order policing, stadium ejections, modern in-stadia security, and changes in supporter attitudes have all helped to marginalise the worst risk supporters.

Immigration Controls: USA

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what verification checks are conducted on the permitted US Homeland Security procedures at UK airports;who conducts these checks; in which department the people that conduct these checks are based; and when was the last time these checks were conducted.

Lord Mendelsohn: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assurances they have received from the US ambassador to the UK on the operation of the Homeland Security checks on UK territory; and when was the last timesuch checks were discussed by UK Ministers.

Baroness Williams of Trafford: Under the US Immigration Advisory Program, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers have operated in an advisory capacity at Heathrow airport, since 2007, to support airlines in identifying passengers who may be inadmissible to the US and should not board flights to the US. This reflects an established recommended practice of Annex 9 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation (the Chicago Convention).The CBP officers hold no authority in the UK, conduct no formal checks and can only advise airline staff. The decision whether or not to board a passenger rests with the airline.We do not publish the specific details of the arrangement with the Department of Homeland Security for operational reasons.

Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities

Housing: Armed Forces

Lord German: To ask Her Majesty's Government whether the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) requirement for housing applies to housing units in the UK provided for the armed forces.

Lord Greenhalgh: The requirement to obtain an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) applies to housing units in the UK provided for the armed forces. However, the Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations specify that general access data need not be disclosed on the EPC Register if it relates to an excluded building, which includes buildings owned, occupied or used by or for the purposes of any of the armed forces.

Housing: Pensioners

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ensure that 10 per cent of new housing is specifically designed for pensioners.

Lord Greenhalgh: The National Planning Policy Framework already sets out that local authorities should assess the types of specialist housing needed for older people, and this should be reflected in their local planning policies. We also continue to review the departmental programmes and engage with key stakeholders, ahead of setting out a proposed way forward for the planning reforms.Furthermore, we have recently announced a new taskforce on the issue of older people's housing, which will look at ways we can provide greater choice, quality and security of housing for older people, and support the growth of the sector in this country. This work will be taken forwards in partnership with the Department of Health and Social Care.

Cabinet Committees: Regional Planning and Development

Lord Hodgson of Astley Abbotts: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the proposed (1) name, (2) terms of reference, (3) membership, and (4) frequency of meetings, of the Cabinet Committee to be set up under the plans in the Levelling Up White Paper.

Lord Greenhalgh: The terms of reference for the Domestic and Economic (Levelling Up) Cabinet Committee are: ‘To set direction for place-based strategies and embed levelling up within government policy and delivery’. The membership of the Committee comprises: the Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities; the Chief Secretary to the Treasury; and, the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Levelling Up, The Union and Constitution. Other Ministers are invited according to the agenda.It is a long-established precedent that information about the discussions that have taken place in Cabinet and its Committees, and how often they meet, is not normally shared publicly.

Treasury

Economic Growth

Lord Birt: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment, if any, they have made of the growth rate of each of the G7 countries from quarter 4 of 2019 to quarter 4 of 2021.

Lord Hain: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the UK's total GDP in December 2021 compared to February 2020, relative to the other G7 nations.

Baroness Penn: Her Majesty’s government regularly looks at UK economic growth in the context of growth in other advanced economies, including those in the G7. The Office for National Statistics publishes UK figures monthly, quarterly, and annually. There are different metrics by which international GDP growth rates can be compared, varying by the time and reference period used. In the case of our G7 peers, as well as the UK, only Canada produces monthly GDP data. Monthly comparisons are therefore not possible for all members of the G7. International comparisons of economic growth are possible for all G7 members at both quarterly and yearly frequencies. This information is presented below. Real GDP growthMonthlyQuarterlyQuarterlyQuarterlyAnnuallyCountryFebruary 2020 to November 2021Q3 2021 Quarter on Year % growthQ4 2021 Quarter on Year % growthQ4 2019 to Q4 20212021Canada0.2%4.0%3.4%0.2%4.7%FranceN/A3.5%5.4%0.9%7.0%GermanyN/A2.9%1.4%-1.5%2.8%ItalyN/A4.0%6.4%-0.5%6.4%JapanN/A1.2%0.7%-1.9%1.7%UK0.2%7.0%6.5%-0.5%7.5%USN/A4.9%5.5%3.1%5.7%Source: Refinitv DataStream, HMT Calculations Comparing monthly to the latest data available in both countries, November, the ratio of monthly real (seasonally adjusted) GDP between February 2020 and December 2021 was 0.2, in both the UK and Canada. Canada is yet to release December monthly data. The UK’s 2021 Q3 quarter-on-year growth rate was 7.0%, compared to the US (4.9%), Italy and Canada (both 4%), France (3.5%), Germany (2.9%) and Japan (1.1%). The ratio of real GDP from Q4 2019 to Q4 2021 in the UK was -0.5%, compared to the US (3.1%), France (0.9%), Canada (0.2%), Italy (-0.5%), Germany (-1.5%) and Japan (-1.9%). Annually, the UK’s growth rate in 2021 was 7.5%, compared to France (7.0%), Italy (6.4%), the US (5.7%), Canada (4.7%), Germany (2.8%) and Japan (1.7%).

Offshoring: Taxation

Lord Blunkett: To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answers byBaroness Penn on 21 February (HL6023 and HL6024),what impact analysis was undertaken by HM Treasury on the impact of the UK's departure from the EU on income tax and national insurance receipts prior to the enactment of the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020.

Baroness Penn: HMRC did not undertake any analysis of the impact of the enactment of the European Union (Withdrawal Agreement) Act 2020 on Income Tax and National Insurance contribution receipts. The Withdrawal Agreement has no effect on the arrangements to protect individuals and businesses from double taxation where the same income or gains are taxable in both countries. The UK has bilateral double taxation agreements with all EU Member States, which continue to apply now that the UK has left the EU. The Withdrawal Agreement applies the EU Regulations on social security coordination to individuals in a ‘cross-border situation’ involving the UK and the EU at the end of the transition period, ensuring that they continue to pay social security contributions into one country’s scheme at a time.

Housing: Energy

Lord Allen of Kensington: To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the improvement in energy efficiency of homes that could be achieved if the current rate of VAT on retrofit building work were to be reduced to (1) a five per cent rate, and (2) a zero rate; and what plans they have, if any, to do so.

Baroness Penn: A reduced rate of VAT at 5 per cent is already maintained for some residential renovations, including those that increase the number of dwellings or renovating properties that have been empty for two years or more, subject to certain conditions. Expanding the reliefs that are already available would come at a cost to the Exchequer. Expanding this reduced rate to include all renovations and repairs is estimated to cost the Exchequer at least £3.75 billion a year. While all taxes are kept under review, the Government has no current plans to review the VAT treatment of retrofit building work.

Hikvision: Corporation Tax

Lord Alton of Liverpool: To ask Her Majesty's Government how much corporation tax Hikvision paid to the Exchequer in (1) 2021, (2) 2020, (3) 2019, and (4) 2018.

Baroness Penn: The information requested cannot be provided. HMRC has a legal duty to maintain the confidentiality of taxpayer information and disclosing information to persons outside of HMRC is only allowed in a limited number of circumstances. These are set out in Section 18 of the Commissioners of Revenue and Customs Act 2005.

Cost of Living

The Lord Bishop of Durham: To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are planning to take to address the high cost of living, even after the rate of inflation has reduced.

Baroness Penn: As the global economy recovers, many economies are experiencing high inflation, in part due to pressures from rising energy prices and disruptions to global supply chains. These global pressures are the main driver of higher inflation in the UK. We understand the pressure that a higher cost of living places on people and low-income families. The government is providing support worth over £20 billion this financial year and next that will help families with the cost of living. This includes cutting the Universal Credit taper rate and increasing work allowances to make sure work pays, freezing alcohol and fuel duties to keep costs down, and the £9.1 billion package announced in February 2022 to help households with rising energy bills.

Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport

Television: Russia

Lord Taylor of Warwick: To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to ban Russian state-backed television channels.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: As the Secretary of State set out in her statement to the House of Commons on 3 March 2022, Vladimir Putin must not be allowed to exploit our open and free media to spread poisonous propaganda into British homes.I am pleased to say that RT has already been removed from Sky, Freeview and Freesat in the UK, meaning that Putin cannot push out his propaganda on UK television. I also welcome Ofcom’s announcement of 27 investigations into RT, and their confirmation that they are considering RT’s UK broadcasting licence.The Secretary of State has written to the major platforms, asking them to do everything they can to prevent access to RT online in the UK, as they have done in Europe, and we are glad that YouTube and Meta have already done so.

BBC: Northern Ireland

Baroness Hoey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the reason for the delay in appointing theBBCMember forNorthern Ireland to the BBC Board.

Baroness Hoey: To ask Her Majesty's Government what is the timetable for filling the vacant positionof BBC Member for Northern Ireland to the BBC Board.

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay: The process to appoint a new Northern Ireland Member to the board of the BBC will be a fair and open competition, run in accordance with the Governance Code on Public Appointments.The role has been vacant since the Board was formed in 2017. It was not possible to make an appointment to the board at that time due to the dissolution of the Northern Ireland Executive. A process to appoint a Northern Ireland Member was run in 2021, but Ministers decided to restart the process due to an insufficiently diverse and broad longlist. The process will launch this month.